


The Sutaputra's Insult

by Sairandhri



Series: Stories Squared [1]
Category: Hindu Mythology, Mahabharata - Vyasa, महाभारत | Mahabharat (TV 2013)
Genre: Draupadi's Svayamvar, Gen, insult, sutrputra, swayamvar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 16:00:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3387755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sairandhri/pseuds/Sairandhri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A brief, proetic narration of Angraj Karna's disqualification from Panchaali Draupadi's svayamvar on grounds of being a sutaputra.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Sutaputra's Insult

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr with a graphic: [here](http://nirantar.tumblr.com/post/92909573382/).
> 
> Some non-English nouns are used; glossary at the end.

The lissome King strode towards the challenge, the pride in his mein bordering on arrogance. The crowd in the surrounding pavilions erupted in a murmur escalating to a buzz. The sound was menacing, doubtful, contemptuous; and yet the King’s bare shoulders remained straight.

The princess smiled at his confidence.

The young King folded his hands and took a bow of respect. The arena lay before him, holding a challenge tailored for him, offering a reward his heart had already claimed as his.  _This is easy_ , he thought.  _An arrow through the fish’s eye without looking at it? A small bowl mirroring the target as help? They may blindfold me too, the fish’s rotation mechanism makes too much noise._

The princess’s smile froze and splintered when her brother whispered in her ear. She turned wide eyes to her twin's, who only nodded. The princess took a deep breath and looked across the stage at her friend.

A minuscule dip of head from Krishna sealed Krishnaa's decision.  _So be it_ , she thought. Steeling her heart and tossing back her hair, she turned to address the trying archer.

As his fingers wrapped around the contest bow, the King's lips stretched into a lazy smile. He could already taste victory as the jya twanged into place. With back as taut as the bowstring, and shoulders glistening with sweat, his eyes locked on the fish's. The tension in his arms reached a crescendo just as the princess's words set his blood on fire.

"Stop!" the princess of Panchaal shrieked.

The King’s eyes snapped shut and his jaw hardened.

"I will not wed a sutaputra," her voice rang.

A lifetime’s worth of insolent denigration came flooding to memory. The King tasted blood in his mouth. A vein made itself prominent at his brow.

From afar it looked like a tightly coiled rubber ball was becoming undone. That was what it felt like too, perhaps, because the cords of muscle under the King’s bronze skin looked ready to explode. Credit must be given to the all-bearing Earth for drinking back the King’s summoned energy. Slowly, he straightened from an archer’s stance.

Had it been any other, the recipient of the King’s gaze would probably have incinerated. But the flames of humiliation burning in his eyes were well-matched by a fire-born’s fire-wrought facade of regality.

“ _Sutaputra?_ " he spat. "Did the princess call here all the reigning Kings of Aryavart to systematically  _insult_  them? Did King Drupad of Panchaal organize this swayamvar to make enemies?”

"Enough!" said prince Dristadyumn. “Enough said, King of Anga. Kindly return to your throne and allow the peaceful commencement of princess Draupadi’s swayamvar.”

Angaraj laughed an acerbic laugh.

A bellow boomed from the pavilions. The disgraced suitor’s loyal friend stood in his defense. “ _Commencement?_  Your sister just refused the only man capable of winning her. The is none other than my friend in this assemblage of suitors who can succeed in this ridiculously difficult challenge. Seeing that all others have failed, and he has been refused and insulted, she will have to remain a spinster!”

“ _Enough!_ " spoke the princess. "Enough now." Her eyes flashed. "You accuse me of slanders I have not uttered. Is he not a charioteer’s son? Is that not low birth? Do not our texts condemn the marriage of a kshatriya as myself to a sutaputra as him? I cannot wed a man of birth as low as his, and pollute the blood of generations to come. He is a King, but the kingdom was given to him; he has neither won it, nor been born into royalty. A monkey in the garb of a lion remains a monkey still." She looked down the slope of her nose at the displeased suitors. "As the bride of this swayamvar, my say is final. Angaraj stands disqualified."

Laughing again a laugh that was bitter, his eyes dancing in hatred that told of his sanity to be more than just slightly unhinged, Karna threw aside the bow in his hand. He swallowed against the poisonous words forming themselves in his mouth, and proceeded, with wooden movements, to sit beside his friend, Duryodhan.

And thus the adopted son of charioteer Adhirath and his wife Radha, the eldest Kaunteya of yet undisclosed divine birth, Radheya Vasusena did not marry Yagyaseni Panchaali.

**Author's Note:**

> Glossary:
> 
>   * jya: bowstring;
>   * sutaputra: the son of a charioteer;
>   * swayamvar: a ceremony where the bride chooses her groom;
>   * kshatriya: the king/warrior caste;
> 

> 
> Please leave your thoughts and comments! :)
> 
> Find the author on tumblr at: [nirantar|tumblr](http://nirantar.tumblr.com/)


End file.
